- Circadian phase can be tracked non-invasively by extracting RNA from plucked hair follicles and measuring peak gene expression, offering a DIY chronotype assay.  
- BioCurious, a community biology lab, had reached 50 % of its Kickstarter goal with 25 days left, signaling growing grassroots bio-lab funding.  
- CERN’s open repositories (ALICE, LHC viewvc) host detector geometry and beam-parameter classes like AliLhcBeam, while historical CAD workflows used EUCLID on VAX 11/785 to generate dual-unit drawings nightly.  
- Open-source CAD resources discussed include SolidWorks binaries on CERN servers, an open-source stent-design calculator, and the GEANT/GEREP tool-chain for converting STEP models into particle-tracking geometries.  
- Paul Breed’s first 3-D-printed stainless-steel rocket motor failed a pressure test because Shapeways’ binder-jet + bronze-infiltration process left micro-porosity; options include switching to DMLS or EBM, or adding extra bronze infiltration.  
- Participants debated patent strategy: ignore patents, seek USPTO exemptions for open-source projects, or crowd-fund prior-art challenges.  
- DIY semiconductor fabrication was referenced via home-built macro-scale transistors and hand-drawn graphite resistors on paper, alongside ab-initio chemistry simulation packages and proprietary reaction-prediction databases like CrossFire.  
- A Discover Magazine article on retrocausal quantum experiments prompted philosophical discussion about whether future measurements can retroactively influence present results, touching on determinism and agency.